​Interview prep is one of the favorite aspects of my work as a career development coach. Few things make me happier than having a client reach out after an interview that we’ve prepped for and tell me how well it went, especially when they’ve been offered the job!So what does it take to prepare well? The following is my recipe for interview success.

Do your research. Yes, read up on the company. Spend time on their website. It’s not unusual to be asked what your favorite page is, or what is one thing you would change. Who are you interviewing with? Check them out online and on LinkedIn. Know their business, their history, their key strengths and opportunities. The more knowledgeable you are about their business, the more they will respond to you.

Read through the job description and be prepared to speak to each requirement by telling stories that demonstrate your experience with each item. If the job description is written well, it will tell you everything they are looking for. This is your chance to wow them.

Have great questions for them and don’t be afraid to ask them throughout the interview if that subject is touched on. Just say, “That’s a great question and I’ll answer it, and I have a question for you when I’m done.” It shows you’re engaged and you aren’t one to just sit back and respond. Interact!

Practice, practice, practice. You’ve heard the old adage “Practice Makes Perfect”. Well, the more you practice, the better you’ll perform during the interview. Answers will come more easily and be well thought out and concise.

Find someone to practice with. One of the best things I do for clients during a mock interview is to provide them feedback. Feedback is something that you seldom receive after an interview, so you never will know why you didn’t get the job. A career coach will tell you and help you learn how to overcome. My clients are so grateful for the gentle, but honest and direct, feedback I provide.

Plan things out in advance. What are you going to wear? Try it on in advance. Do you know how to get there, where to park, or what bus to take? Have you taken into consideration traffic and time of day?

Get a good night’s rest. Nothing will do you more good than be rested and sharp.

Do all of the above until you feel confident. Yes, confident! Confidence is the #1 secret ingredient for a successful interview. People respond to confidence. And this is ‘confident’, not ‘arrogant’. It can be a fine line. Learn to walk it. Now go on out there and impress!

As a future graduate, I needed to read this article. I'm sure that I can use this guide with my future job applications. I was really nervous as to what can happen in my future. I'm unprepared with interacting with the professional people in the industry. Hopefully, I can apply these tips for myself.

Reply

Andrea Cole

7/3/2017 10:56:06 am

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I'm glad this was informative for you. I do a lot of interview prep coaching with college grads and you're right, there is much to learn. Conversing with people in the university setting is quite different from the professional world. Best of luck to you. Andrea

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Andrea's passion is to see you achieve your professional dreams. Whether you are a corporate leader seeking leadership development for your employees or an individual seeking guidance in building your career or preparing for retirement, she will coach you to success.

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